Yes, you can eat too much fruit — and it could be messing with your diet

Nutritionist Andy Bellatti told INSIDER that juicing may make fruits easier to overconsume.

It also decreases their health benefits.

Sugar intake from fruits may be a concern for people who deal with health issues related to high blood sugar

Some people argue that there's no limit to the amount of fruit you can eat daily, and follow a fruitarian diet, subsisting primarily on apples, oranges, and the like. Others, like those who follow the keto diet, tend to restrict the amount of fruit they eat in a day, citing concern about fructose levels. With so many conflicting opinions, it's difficult to know how much fruit you should be eating every day.

Obviously, there are many physical — and even psychological — benefits to eating fruit.

Fruit is a rich source of vitamins and nutrients. Jack Jelly/Shutterstock

First, it's only fair to consider the many health benefits from eating a variety of fruit. As a rich source of vitamins, minerals, potassium, and fiber, fruits often contain phytochemicals that have antioxidant properties, according to Berkeley Wellness.

Fresh fruit may even improve a person's psychological health. According to a 2017 study in PLOS ONE, eating fruits (and vegetables) correlated with an increase in psychological well-being in young adults. In fact, these psychological benefits occurred after only two weeks of increased fruit and vegetable consumption. With all of these health benefits, it is not surprising that the American Heart Association recommends at least four servings of fruit each day.

That said, consuming too much fruit can lead to health problems for some individuals.

Although it may seem like to road to health is paved with goji berries, it's important to remember that fruit is not the end-all be-all of nutrition.

To start, eating fruit to the exclusion of other foods can lead to potential nutritional deficiencies. As Bellatti noted, fruit is not a good source of iron or zinc, both of which are crucial components of a healthy diet. Excessive fruit intake can also cause stomach upset in some individuals. In fact, heartburn, diarrhea, reflux, and bloating are all potential side effects of eating too much fruit, according to Bruning.

High blood sugar is another side effect of fruit consumption, and can be potentially dangerous for people with diabetes. "Fruit should not be totally avoided for this reason, it just needs to be kept in reasonable portions and eaten alongside other foods," Bruning said. For people with potential blood sugar issues, guidance from a nutrition expert can be invaluable.

Additionally, fruits (like any other food) can be eaten to the point of caloric excess and lead to weight gain over time. Fruit, however, is generally not that high in calories when compared to other foods.

"A dozen bananas is roughly 1,200 calories (equivalent to 14 cups of blueberries)," Bellatti said. The idea of eating that many blueberries over the course of one day might make a competitive eater queasy. Still, there are ways to get too many calories from fruit.

It's not just how many fruits you eat, but how you eat them.

Although juicing is a popular trend, Bellatti and Bruning agree that it's not an ideal way to get your daily dose of fruit.

"Not only does fruit juice lack fiber, but many health-promoting antioxidants and phytonutrients are bound to fiber and therefore absent in juice," Bellatti said. Additionally, fruit juice can contain a lot of sugar to consume in one sitting, as Bruning explained.

Both experts agreed that smoothies were a good alternative to juicing, because blended fruit smoothies retain all parts of the fruit. This includes the the all-important fiber, whichBruning sai is more likely to cause feelings of satiety.

But don't let this scare you away from fruit entirely.

The sugar content in fruit is not a huge concern for most healthy adults. "Just because it contains the S-word doesn't make it unhealthy," Bruning said. "Naturally occurring sugars in fruit give us energy and are packaged up neatly with fiber, nutrients, and a good amount of water that can help keep us hydrated."

Bruning also advised eating a variety of fruit — everything from citrus to berries to banana — because all fruits bring something healthy to the table. Plus, it's fun to try out a wide variety of fruits, and you never know when you'll find a new favorite. (Side note: I recently tried fresh cherimoya, and it is mind-meltingly delicious.)

Aim for two cups worth of fruit per day.

According to Bellatti, two to three servings of fruit per day is a healthy goal for most people. Bruning had similar advice and suggested about two cups' worth of fruit per day. With this amount, you can benefit from the nutrients found in fruit — particularly the important antioxidants and phytonutrients that are exclusively found in fruits — without over eating.

At any rate, Bellatti said it's smart to think about nutrition in more holistic terms anyway: Eating a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, is often the best way to ensure your nutritional needs are met. He also recommends against the fruitarian diet, in which people subsist almost entirely on fruit, noting that there is zero scientific evidence in favor of it. Instead, a varied diet based in a variety of whole foods is the ideal for most people.

Yes, it is possible to overdo it on the fruit, especially if you're attached to your juicer or blender. For the most part, however, whole, fresh fruit is a healthful component of any diet, as long as it is enjoyed in some amount of moderation.